The term "panel" as used in this application is intended to encompass sheets of material such as metal, polymer or vitreous substances or other materials which can be compressed without substantial damage. This term is also intended to encompass multi-sheet structures which can be assembled at their edges to form various articles of manufacture. The term "sheet stock" is also intended to be encompassed within the term, "panel". Sheets or panels of material such as sheet metal are joined in many different ways to define articles of manufacture such as housings, containers, cabinetry etc. In the case of metal sheet material, joining is often accomplished by means of welding or by riveting overlapped edges or edges that are joined by suitable joint strips. Sheet stock is often joined by screws, bolts, rivets or the like to define objects of manufacture. In all of these cases however it is necessary to prepare the edges of the sheet stock for welding or to drill holes in the edges of the sheet stock to prepare it to receive rivets, bolts or screws. It is desirable to provide a system for joining the edges of sheet stock wherein the sheet stock needs no other preparation other than the formation of straight edges.
In most cases where sheet stock is prepared at its edges for the purpose of being joined, the edges are permanently altered for the joining process. If the sheet stock is disassembled and then reassembled, often the sheets must be further altered or reprepared for joining if tight joints are to be achieved and if a positively secured relationship is to be established between adjacent panels. It is desirable therefore to provide a system for joining panels of sheet stock wherein the edges of the sheet stock are not altered and therefore may be disassembled and reassembled at the joints as many times as desired without any significant alteration of the sheet stock.
In most cases panels of sheet stock are joined at the edges by means of mechanical interconnection with other sheet stock components of the article of manufacturer or by means of joint strips. It is desirable to provide a system for joining panels of sheet stock which achieves such joining by frictional retention to secure the sheet like panels in integrated assembly to thus define an article of manufacture.